Greek Meatloaf

Greek Meatloaf mains This Greek classic meatloaf, often called Rolo (Ρολό), is a tender, juicy, savory loaf full of Mediterranean flavors thanks to oregano, mint, and warm spices. It is easy to make and has a nice savory sauce that gets spooned over each slice. meatloaf, Rolo Kima Greek Meatloaf Greek

This Greek classic meatloaf, often called Rolo (Ρολό), is a tender, juicy, savory loaf full of Mediterranean flavors thanks to oregano, mint, and warm spices. It is easy to make and has a nice savory sauce that gets spooned over each slice. No ketchup, spinach, lemon juice, dill or feta cheese in this Greek meatloaf because that isn’t quite traditional - don’t get us wrong we love a good twist but if you are here for a traditional Greek meatloaf this is it. A staple Simple Greek recipe that we love to serve with buttery rice or potatoes.


Greek Meatloaf

Greek Meatloaf Recipe Ingredients

  • GARLIC & ONION: We use 1 shallot or small yellow onion and 3 cloves of garlic for this loaf. They add flavour and moisture to the loaf.
  • FRESH HERBS & SPICES: I like to use fresh parsley and fresh mint but if you prefer one over the other feel free to use it alone or a combination. We also add paprika, oregano, cumin, salt pepper and chili flakes. Adjust amounts to taste.
  • BEEF: I use lean ground beef but you can also use a combination of ground beef and ground pork or even ground lamb for more flavor. I have not tested this recipe with ground chicken or ground turkey but it should work.
  • RED WINE VINEGAR: I strongly recommend using the red wine for this recipe it adds such fantastic flavour to the meatloaf. Another option is using broth or a mixture of half broth or water and red wine vinegar
  • BREAD CRUMBS: I use plain bread crumbs in this recipe
  • MILK: I recommend using whole milk instead of water as whole milk adds more flavor and rich moisture than using plain water. It also helps keep the beef tender. You can substitute with water or broth though.
  • EGGS: 2 eggs help to bind the meat mixture together.
  • CHEESE: We love to use grated hard Greek Kefalotyri cheese if you don’t have it you can use Pecorino Romano or Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano). It adds savory richness, saltiness, and depth to the meatloaf.
  • TOMATO SAUCE: I use plain tomato sauce or passata approximately 3 cups. Tomato sauce usually has salt in it so I don’t add salt but if using Passata you may want to add a little salt. See recipe notes for canned whole tomato alternative.
  • SUGAR: Balances the acidity of the tomatoes - use white sugar or brown sugar or even honey
  • OLIVE OIL: Adds richness to sauce

Greek Meatloaf

How To Make Greek Meatloaf

  1. Prepare Meat: Chop up the fresh herbs and aromatics (I like to use a mini chopper), in a large mixing bowl crumble beef then add the blended herb mix, eggs, cheese, milk, breadcrumbs. Use hands to mix/ stir really well.
  2. Shape Meat: I simply use my hands but if you prefer to use a loaf pan to get a better shape you can. Shape on a cutting board or in prepared pan.
  3. Par-Bake Meatloaf: Bake for 30 mins. What this really does is par bake the loaf so that it doesn’t fall apart in the sauce if you bake everything all together at once (trust me I have tested the recipe sooooooooo many ways).
  4. Prepare Sauce: Stir the tomato sauce with all the rest of the add ins.
  5. Bake Meatloaf With Sauce: Remove par baked meatloaf carefully from oven and spoon sauce over meatloaf and around the meatloaf in baking pan. Return to oven and continue bake until full cooked through.
  6. Rest Loaf & Serve: Allow loaf to rest a few minutes before slicing and serving with buttery rice or potatoes. Spoon over sauce from pan and enjoy with more fresh herbs as a garnish and feta cheese.

Greek Meatloaf

Greek Meatloaf

Serve Greek Meatloaf With:

Greek Meatloaf

Make-Ahead Meatloaf Tips

  • Refrigerate Raw: Assemble the meatloaf in a loaf pan, or keep unshaped meat mixture in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil. It can stay in the fridge for 1–2 days before baking. Shape and place in prepared baking pan and allow to come to room temperature while you preheat the oven before baking.
  • Freeze Raw: Assemble the loaf and freeze it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, or in a freezer bag for 1-2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking.
  • Sauce: Make the sauce ahead and store it in a separate container, adding it just before second baking

Greek Meatloaf

Storing & Freezing Meatloaf

  • STORAGE: The meatloaf and sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days and reheated on the stove-top. If the sauce is a little too thick, just add a touch of water or broth to loosen it up. Leftovers make a great meatloaf sandwich.
  • FREEZING: Let the cooked meatloaf cool completely, then freeze individual slices or the whole loaf for to 1-3 months. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil and place In a freezer bag and store in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat in the microwave or stove top.

Greek Meatloaf

More Classic Greek Recipes You Will Love:

Recipe

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf

  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed or rough chopped
  • 1 shallot or small yellow onion, peeled and rough chopped
  • 1 small bunch of mint
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 lbs Ground beef
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs (plus ¼ cup more if needed)
  • ½ cup whole Milk
  • 2 large eggs, lightly whisked
  • ½ cup grated kefalotyiri cheese
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the Sauce

  • 1 (24 zo/690 ml) jar/can plain tomato sauce, approx 3 cups
  • Pinch of cinnamon (⅛ teaspoon or less)
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a large casserole dish lightly with vegetable oil on the bottom.
  2. In a food processor or mini chopper, combine the onion, garlic, parsley, mint and red wine vinegar. Pulse a few times until the mixture is finely chopped. (If you don’t have a processor simply mince everything and add vinegar to meat mixture with everything else)
  3. In a large bowl, crumble up the beef so it is not in now large block, sprinkle over the bread crumbs, drizzle over the milk followed by the onion herb mixture, whisked eggs, grated cheese and all the herbs.
  4. Mix with your hands until all the ingredients are fully combined. Transfer the mound to a flat surface and shape into a loaf. Gently place the loaf in the center of a grease casserole dish.
  5. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 30 mins uncovered.
  6. While the meatloaf is in the oven in a medium size bowl whisk together the tomato sauce with the spices, sugar and olive oil.
  7. Once 30 mins have passed carefully remove the hot casserole dish from oven and spoon the sauce over the top and around meatloaf
  8. Return skillet to the oven and continue to cook for another 30 minutes or until meat loaf is cooked through or an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F. Tent with foil if needed and browning too much before its cooked through.
  9. Remove from oven once done and allow meatloaf to rest 10 minutes before slicing meatloaf and serving with the sauce from the pan.

Recipe Notes

  • If you find that by the end of the cooking time your sauce has reduced a little too much feel free to whisk in a little hot water or warmed broth into it to help loosen it up and make a little saucier. 60 mins of cooking usually doesn’t do it but if you have to cook your meatloaf longer than that it may - either way its a quick fix.
  • If you prefer to use canned tomatoes you can. Use one 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and you will indeed need to add some salt taste as canned tomatoes usually don’t have salt whereas tomato sauce does.
  • A lot of Greek meatloaf recipes call for stuffing the meatloaf with eggs. My family doesn’t like eggs in their meatloaf but if you would like to stuff yours you will need 3 boiled eggs. Here is how to assemble it. Take ¼ of the meat mixture and form into and oval and place in the casserole dish. Peel the eggs and line them up down the middle of the meat in the dish. Form the remaining meat mixture into a larger oval and place over the eggs. Form the meat into a long loaf, making sure to seal the edges. Then continue with recipe as stated

Greek Meatloaf